Nicholas Nicklebey: Level 6

Nicholas Meets His Uncle

There was once a gentleman called Mr. Godfrey Nickleby, who lived in London, had a small income, and married late in life. He had two sons, whom he called Ralph and Nicholas. He was able to provide for them only because he unexpectedly inherited his uncle’s property. He retired to the country, and when he died, his two sons each received some of the inheritance.

The older son, Ralph, had heard stories of his father’s earlier poverty and was determined that he would not be poor. He went to London and made as much money as he could and did not care too much about how he made it.

The younger son, Nicholas, had also heard about his father’s poverty, but its effect on him was different. He was cautious and decided to save what he had and spend very little. He married and had two children, Nicholas and Kate. When Kate was seventeen and Nicholas nineteen, their father had little money left because of the expense of educating the children, and he began to wonder how he could provide for them further.

Invest, said Mrs. Nickleby. Think of your brother, Ralph. Where would he be if he hadn’t speculated?

Nicholas Nickleby was not sure this was a good idea, but in the end, he followed his wife’s advice. However, he was not lucky and soon lost the small amount of money that he had. This made him feel ill, and he went to bed, where he began to think about his childhood and the good times he had enjoyed with his brother.

His brother was an unfriendly man who lived and worked in a large house in Golden Square. Nobody knew how he got his money, but everybody knew he was quite wealthy. The houses in that part of London were large but were out of the way, and it did not seem to be a good place to have a business. Ralph Nickleby, however, had lived there for many years. He knew very few of his neighbors, and few of them knew him. He had an employee who did whatever Ralph asked him to do. This man was Newman Noggs, a tall man of middle age with enormous eyes and a red nose. His clothes were very old and too small for him, and he had a strange habit of cracking the joints of his fingers.

I am going to the London Tavern for a public meeting this morning, Ralph Nickleby said to Noggs one day. I shall be walking to Charing Cross after the meeting. If any letters come while I am away, come and meet me and bring the letters with you.

Noggs nodded just as the bell rang.

Noggs went to open the door. He returned with Mr. Bonney, a pale, untidy man who was very excited.

"My dear Nickleby, I have a cab at the door. We must hurry. Sir Matthew Pupker will chair the meeting, and three Members of Parliament are coming to speak. The United City Cake Company will be very successful, I am sure."

He continued to speak as they went out to the cab. It is a brilliant idea. Five million pounds of capital was made up of five hundred thousand shares of ten pounds each. The shares will soon be worth more.

And when they are . . .

We know what to do, said Mr. Bonney, and you know better than anybody! By the way, that man of yours is a very strange man.

Ralph agreed. He was once a gentleman who owned horses, but he lost his money and began to drink. He came to me to borrow a pound, but I needed a clerk and I employed him.

Ralph did not tell Mr. Bonney that he paid Noggs less than a boy of thirteen might earn and that he found him useful because he knew how to keep secrets.

The two men got into the cab and hurried off to the London Tavern for their public meeting. A large number of people had been attracted to the meeting, and they were waiting noisily for it to begin. When Mr. Bonney and Ralph arrived, people began to cheer and clap their hands. The purpose of the meeting was to form a company. People could buy shares in the company for ten pounds each. The money from the shares would be used to build a factory. The company would make cakes and sell them. Everybody who had shares would get some of the profit. Ralph and Mr. Bonney said they would be the best cakes in London. A lot of people wanted to buy shares.

However, Ralph was not very honest. He knew the company would not make any profits, but he would sell his shares before anybody else found this out. He would sell the shares for a profit. This was one way that Ralph became rich.

Everybody at the meeting was so enthusiastic that Ralph calculated the shares were probably worth twelve pounds each already and began to think how soon he should begin to sell them.

He enjoyed his lunch and set out on his walk to Charing Cross. On the way, he saw Noggs, who gave him a letter that had arrived. It had a black edge around it, which indicated that it was sad news.

I wouldn’t be surprised if my brother is dead, he told Noggs.

I don’t think you would, replied Noggs.

Why not?

Because you are never surprised. That’s all.

Ralph read the letter and found that he was correct. His brother was dead, and his widow and two children had come to London. Noggs had a strange expression on his face when he heard this news. Ralph was not very sad about his brother’s death, but he was annoyed by his widow and children coming to London.

My brother never did anything for me, he muttered, but as soon as he is dead, he expects me to look after his wife and children. I suppose I had better go and see them.

He went to a house on The Strand, where his sister-in-law and her children were staying, and knocked on the door. The house was owned by Miss La Creevy, who painted portraits. The Nickleby family was staying on the second floor. Ralph spoke to Miss La Creevy and warned her that the family staying in her rooms was a very poor family and advised her not to keep them there. He told her if they could not pay their rent, he would not help them.

I am the only family they have, he said, and I think they should go back to the country. They are in everybody’s way here.

Then he went upstairs to talk to his sister-in-law. She was still very sad about her husband’s death, but he did not have much sympathy for her.

Husbands die every day, he said.

Nineteen-year-old Nicholas was annoyed and answered, So do brothers!

Yes, agreed Ralph, and so do rude, young men! How did your husband die? Ralph asked Mrs. Nickleby.

The doctors could find no reason, replied Mrs. Nickleby, and we think he died of a broken heart.

Nonsense! said Ralph. You can die of a broken head or neck but not of a broken heart.

Some men have no hearts to break! exclaimed Nicholas.

It was clear that Ralph and Nicholas would never be friends. Ralph asked about Kate and suggested that she go to a boarding school or learn to be a dressmaker. He complained about his brother and called him a lazy fool who had left his widow and children with no money when he died. Mrs. Nickleby forgot that she had encouraged her husband to speculate and agreed with Ralph. It certainly would be nice to have more money.

Ralph showed Nicholas an advertisement in the newspaper which said that Mr. Wackford Squeers had a school called Dotheboys Hall in Yorkshire where boys could be sent for twenty pounds per year. The boys would receive education, food, and a place to sleep. He also required an assistant who would be paid five pounds per year. Mr. Squeers was staying in Snow Hill at the Saracen’s Head Inn and could be contacted there between one and four each afternoon.

If you take this position, said Ralph, I will look after your mother and sister. I know that you will get the position if you want it.

It is so far away, cried Kate, and the salary is very low!

Yes, but it is a beginning, answered Ralph. You may eventually become a partner in the business, and when Mr. Squeers dies, you will be a rich man.

Nicholas began to think that perhaps his uncle was not as bad as he had first thought.

Nicholas Meets Mr. Squeers

At the Saracen’s Head Inn, Mr. Wackford Squeers sat looking unhappily out of the window. He was a short man just over fifty years old, whose clothes were expensive but did not fit well. His most remarkable feature was that he had only one eye, and that eye was green. The other side of his face was wrinkled, and this made him look sinister. Near him was a timid, little boy sitting on a small box.

The little boy sneezed.

What was that? asked Mr. Squeers.

Nothing, please, sir.

Nothing?

"Please,